21 Years Later
by RLynnT
Summary: Since the release of The Cursed Child, many have noticed the problems regarding the plot. In this story, it takes the same struggles that Albus has been enduring, but with no Time-Turner, no Delphi and no Cedric. This is a different danger that comes after Harry and Albus have their argument. This danger awakens the Potter children to the risks their father takes for their safety.
1. Chapter 1

Albus climbed onto the Hogwarts Express, heated after a row with his father. He sank into an empty compartment for Scorpius. About a minute or so later, he walked in.

"Hello, Albus," he greeted in a low voice. Albus could tell he was still grieving over his mother's death.

"Hi."

"How are you?" Scorpius offered. Albus grunted. "What?"

"Nothing"

Scorpius continued to look worried as Albus stared determinately out the window where the green meadows sped across as the train gathered speed.

"My dad and I… had a bit of a row."

"What happened?"

"Well, my parents usually get us gifts the day before we leave for school. He got Lily some fluttery wings or something. James got the Invisibility Cloak."

"What did you get?"

Albus paused.

"He gave me a blanket."

"What?!" Scorpius exclaimed, confused.

"He said… well, he said it was the last thing he had of his mother." Albus kept staring out the window in thought and then continued. "He said, when he was taken to live with his Aunt Petunia, he was wrapped up in it. Apparently, he thought a lot of it."

"Oh," Scorpius commented, understanding growing in his eyes. "That's pretty cool."

"Cool?" Albus sputtered. "What am I supposed to do with an old blanket? Sure, it is something for him, but why give it to me? What am I going to do with it?"

"You are upset because you didn't think it 'practical'?"

"No…"

"Why did you get into an argument, then?"

Albus paused.

"He clearly thought more of it than I did, so I told him to keep it. He kept insisting, but I just told him no. After about a minute, he offered to help me pack. He stared going on about how he _loved_ packing when he was young because he was _so excited_ to come to Hogwarts-"

"-and you didn't like that." Scorpius interrupted, glumly.

" _Of course,_ I didn't like it!" Albus almost yelled. "He kept getting attention because of what a 'great hero' he is, or 'how talented' he is! 'Harry did this.' 'Harry can do that.' Yet here I am, shunned for being sorted in Slytherin and can barely cast a levitation spell! 'I guess he's not like his father, after all.' I never _asked_ to be his son!"

"Did you tell him that?" Scorpius asked anxiously.

"Yes."

"That must have upset him."

"So? It's true."

They sat in silence for a good while, the train shaking lightly as it pulled them closer to Hogwarts. The lady with the trolley stopped by and they got a few handfuls of sweets. They ate quietly.

Finally, Albus looked up and saw Scorpius had a rather sad expression on his face.

"What's with you?"

Scorpius looked up. It seemed to take quite a bit of courage for him to say what he was thinking.

"You didn't apologize for that, did you?"

"What?! Why should I apolo-"

"Albus, listen!" Scorpius asked raising his hands. "I know it hasn't been easy for you since you came to Hogwarts… trust me, because I've shared some of those rumors, glares and snide remarks… but I don't think it was fair to blame him for all of that. Not to mention you rejecting that gift."

"But what-"

"I know you wouldn't have much practical use for it, but it was something important to him and you threw it aside. I think he was trying to show you how much he cares for you by giving you something that meant so much to him."

Albus said nothing.

"And, last of all, Albus…. I don't think your father _asked_ to be Harry Potter. Yes, he's done a lot of cool things, but, keep in mind, he probably felt like he had no choice."

"What do yo-?"

"Someone's life was always on the line when he did most of those things. If they weren't in trouble, I doubt he would have done most of that. I know I wouldn't."

These words stuck with Albus. Deep down, he was sure that he knew those things, but he didn't quite grasp it until Scorpius told him. As their journey continued, he remembered the number of people that lost their lives around that time, and his dad had to watch. Worse than that, part of him wondered if people _blamed_ him for those deaths. Top that off with his own son wishing he wasn't his father, Albus slowly realized how miserable his Dad must be feeling.


	2. Chapter 2

The early fall turned to winter in the blink of an eye. It was already about time for Christmas break. The Potter children were currently packing in their dormitories. The train would be taking them back the next day.

Ginny and Harry were in their house. Harry had collapsed on the couch after a long hard day with the Ministry. He had been spending several weeks searching for Fenrir Greyback. He had escaped from the aurors and was recruiting more werewolves. The hard part of Harry's task was not only no sightings within weeks, but no one had been attacked. This was especially odd. Harry remembered with great discomfort of how the horrid being enjoyed biting, clawing and even killing innocent people. He especially loved targeting children. Now that he willingly attacks without the aid of the full moon, he became more dangerous.

"Any luck?" Ginny asked as she walked into the living room.

"None," Harry growled. "Not a clue. What is he planning? This isn't like him. There hasn't been a reported attack since he escaped."

Ginny frowned, worried.

"Maybe he's gotten so old that it's slowed him down," she offered.

"You wouldn't say that if you were the one who brought him in," Harry commented through gritted teeth.

Ginny sighed. After a moment, she got up to make her and her husband dinner. Harry ate gratefully. Ginny's gaze swept the walls of the house.

"I just realized, we haven't put up any Christmas decorations."

Harry looked up and swallowed his pasta.

"We've both been so busy. Who has the energy to decorate after we get off," he chuckled. "I'll start tomorrow morning while you grab the kids."

"You're not coming?" she asked. "We were planning on making a trip to Diagon Alley."

"It's okay," Harry sighed. "I'll surprise them when they get back. I'd like to brighten up the house a bit after the days I've had." He smiled and returned to his plate.

Harry was being perfectly honest in wanting to set up for Christmas, but there was another thing on his mind that made him hesitant on going to Kings Cross. Albus hadn't written back this year. Neither of them had spoken since the argument they had before term started. He had _tried_ to bury the hatchet with the blanket, but his heart gave a painful throb when he thought of what he said about it. _Moldy Blanket._ It didn't help Harry's search for Greyback when he would have random flashbacks of Albus saying he didn't want Harry as a father. He kept telling himself that he should just forget it, since it happened so long ago… but his own son… it hurt more than Harry let on.


	3. Chapter 3

As the Hogwarts Express slowed to a halt at King's Cross station, Ablus felt an uncomfortable feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. He had not written back to his parents all term. Part of it was because the rude remarks and unfair comparisons forced him into a kind of isolation where only Scorpius was allowed in. The other part was because deep down he knew he was out of line. He shouldn't have said that to his father, but he was too nervous to put any of that in writing. Every time he tried, a vision of the argument arose in his mind. His blood would start boiling so badly that he ended up crumpling the parchment and walking away.

 _Would he forgive me?_ Albus found himself thinking.

He got off the train, waved farewell to Scorpius and went to join his siblings at the other end. He saw his mother waiting with a smile.

"Hi, Mum!" Lily exclaimed, running into her mother's arms. "Professor Longbottom said I'm really good in Herbology! He said I reminded him of Aunt Hermione when he asked about Venomous Tantaculas!"

"That's wonderful, dear. James, have you been staying out of trouble?" she called, eyeing him suspiciously.

James grinned guiltily.

"Well," he started, "I may have gotten detention for-"

"-being out of bed after hours," Ginny finished knowingly. "Wandering the corridors after dark, is that right?"

James stared.

"Professor McGonagall owled us."

Albus walked up.

"Where's dad?" he asked nervously.

"He's at the house. We've been behind on preparing the house for your vacation, so he said he'd have it done by the time we get back, but first, we are going to Diagon Alley."

"Are we going to Weasley's Wizard Weezes?" James asked, excited.

"Yes," Ginny answered with a roll of her eyes and a smile. "We are going to visit your uncles and grab a few things on the way. It should only be a couple of hours, I think."

Albus was relieved to hear this. This would give him proper time to think of what he will say when he gets home to his father and even, if he was lucky, find a good Christmas gift for him.


	4. Chapter 4

At the Potter residence, Harry had just gotten up after a long rest. He hadn't gotten a full night sleep in quite a while and he was rather happy. He got dressed and went down to the storage closet to get out the rest of the Christmas decorations. With a few flicks of his wand, golden garland was strung up around the walls, Christmas baubles hung neatly from the ceiling and a giant Reith flew to the front door. He had gotten a Christmas tree the night before, which was standing in the corner of the sitting room. He grabbed another large box from the back of the closet filled with decorations specifically for the tree. These ranged from hanging snow globes of Father Christmas to adorable crafts made by his kids years ago.

Harry smiled as he added more to the tree. He decided to do this by hand so he can admire the effect more. Years of past memories flooded his mind. James getting that toy broomstick, the look of joy on Albus' face when they announced Ginny was pregnant, Lily giving Harry a new ornament for the tree, which was just a 'Harry Potter' Chocolate Frog Card with string and glitter.

A small amount of time passed when Harry heard a click of the door in the main room.

He froze. Ginny wasn't due back for another hour or so. Not only that, but the kids were always chatty and barely understood the term "quiet". The footsteps that followed were slow. An eerie silence filled the house. Harry grabbed his wand and slowly walked to the door which led to the entrance.

He reached for the knob carefully, but it opened before he reached it.


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny and her kids walked back down the stairs from Gingotts Bank. Ginny needed to make a withdrawal to finish her errands. As they walked by the number of shops down Diagon Alley, James and Albus took notice of a few Wanted posters on some of the windows. The pictures they bore held different faces of straggly-looking menacing strangers, but one, however, seemed to pop up more often than the others.

James held back to look at it and Albus followed. The closer they got, the scarier the face in the photo looked. It appeared to be a man, but his facial features seemed a bit more animalistic. More hair was surrounding his face and he had sharp teeth that the picture bared eagerly at the sight of the boys. The name below it read: _Fenrir Greyback._

"I've heard of that name," James muttered, absentmindedly.

"You have?"

"Yeah, I think he was a follower of Voldemort."

"A Death Eater?"

"No," James shook his head. "Death Eaters followed Voldemort because they believed in what he wanted to achieve. They were his gang, kind of. Greyback was a loose cannon that Voldemort invested in. Not because he trusted him, but because of the chaos he created. He's a werewolf."

Albus blinked, confused.

"A werewolf?"

James sensed his brother's confusion and clarified.

"Not all of them were nice people with an unfortunate condition like Teddy's dad, Al. In fact, I think Dad said _this_ was the guy who bit him, intentionally."

James stared at the other wanted posters.

"In fact, I think these other guys are werewolves, too. Look at their descriptions."

Sure enough, all of the Wanted posters described the escaped criminals as "Convicted Werewolf."

"They _all_ got away?" Albus asked with a little fear in his voice.

"There are about five to seven all together. I think this guy is their leader," he nodded to Greyback's poster. Albus and James stared for a moment until they heard their mother shouting.

"James! Albus! Come on! We're going to the joke shop!"

The brothers looked at each other, back to the posters and then went off to join their mother and sister.

The joke shop was packed. Ron made his way over when he saw them. He gave them a box of gifts for the kids that were to be opened at Christmas, though Lily asked to open them right then and there.

Rose was there as well. She went over and talked to Albus about plans at the Burrow for Christmas. They always loved visiting Grandma Molly and Grandpa Arthur.

After a while, Albus confessed that he was having trouble with finding a present for his father. They spent several minutes of spit-balling ideas but had no luck in a decision. Feeling guilty, Albus left with his family. It wasn't until his mother brought them into an Antique Magic Shop that he got an idea. He walked over to a table littered with old trinkets. Granted, the idea that he had was not fantastic. It was simple, but meaningful. He was about to disregard the idea when he thought of the blanket his father tried to give him. _Simple, yet meaningful._ Making sure his family didn't see him, he took the item to the counter and paid for it, stuffing it quickly in his pocket when the transaction was finished.

Ginny had to make a couple more stops before finally agreeing to head home. After insistent pleads from the kids, she finally agreed to take the Knight Bus rather than the Floo Network. The children had never ridden the bus before. She ushered them to the far end in preparations for the instant acceleration.

BANG

They were speeding off down the street with a number of objects jumping out of their way. James was picking himself up from the floor laughing. Albus flattened his chair against the back wall. Lily actually hid under her own chair, unsure if she liked this ride or not.

When they reached the house, all of the kids wobbled out onto the pavement behind their mother, rather dizzy and with mild headaches.

"Never again," Albus said.

They walked closer to the door when Lily spoke.

"Mum, did Dad leave the door open?"

Ginny looked up and saw what her daughter meant. She didn't notice at first, but now that they were closer to the house, she saw the door was barely ajar.


	6. Chapter 6

Without a word, Ginny whipped out her wand. She stepped up to the door slowly and heard her children close behind her.

"Stay back," she warned in a low voice.

They hesitated but stayed close. Anxiety started filling their hearts. Lily was just confused.

Ginny reached forward with her free hand and pushed the door open. The white light from outside filled the entrance. All four of them froze.

There were two immobile bodies lying across the floor. Their faces were turned away from the door and, from their body structure; no one in the family immediately recognized them.

Ginny's eyes were blazing with both fear and determination. She took a step back and whirled her wand around her head whispering "Expecto Patronum".

A shining horse appeared for a small second and then disappeared, carrying with it a message from Ginny to her family. When she had finished, she looked up and saw James dashing into the house.

"James! Stop!"

He jumped over the figures and looked at their faces. Ginny and Albus could practically hear his heart racing.

"James!" Ginny hissed, stepping forward, "Get back here! Stay w-"

Disobeying his mother completely James turned and rushed to the dining room where two more strangers lay. The table and chairs were smashed and splintered around them.

"James!" Ginny growled, trying to keep her voice low. He didn't listen to her.

Albus and Lily remained behind their mother in growing apprehension. Lily grabbed her brother's hand, trembling. He squeezed it for reassurance.

Ginny had knelt down before the two men. Her eyes widened and she swung her wand at them. Thick ropes burst out and tied them tight, yet they still did not move.

Albus made to step forward, but Ginny pointed at him and whispered "Don't."

At this point, James had dashed to the sitting room doors and pulled them open. Ginny shook her head at her son's disobedience and stood. James had taken five steps in when he suddenly shrieked.

James' voice was like nothing Albus had ever heard before. It was filled with absolute terror. Ginny, Albus and Lily rushed in.

The whole room was destroyed. The tree was blasted apart and ornaments had fallen all around the floor. The sofa was torn and split in half. Several books were blasted into confetti. There were two more bodies strewn across the sitting room. One was closer to James, lying on his back. Albus' spine shook as he recognized the pointed teeth and hairy face. A rope was wrapped around his neck. Though it lay limp now, it was clear that it was held tight in place before. There were marks just below the rope on the man's skin. His eyes were open wide, but they saw no light. Fenrir Greyback lay dead in front of them.

The other body was hidden by the large broken base of the fallen tree, mangled and motionless, his blood staining the carpet.

"DAAAD!"

James made to rush forward but his mother snatched him back by the back of his collar. She pushed him towards his siblings and ran to her husband.

"You stay there!" She yelled. James and Albus noticed the panic in her voice.

Two loud CRACKs outside jerked their attention away. They turned to see Hermione and Ron rushing in.

"Ginny?" Ron called.

"In here! Quick!"

The Potter children flattened themselves against the wall as they bounded in. They paused when they saw Greyback but hurried to Ginny's side at the sight of Harry.

"D-D-Daddy?"

Albus looked down and saw his baby sister shaking horribly, her face lined with fresh tears.

"M-Mum?" James croaked, "is… is he-"

"I got a pulse!" Ginny shrieked.

"He's alive?!" Albus called.

"Ron," Hermione said, her bossiness returning full force, "Use the Floo Network. Call St. Mungo's, now!"

He ran to the fireplace behind him.

"Ginny, I need your help. He's losing too much blood."

"What?!" Albus choked.

Ginny looked up at her children intently.

"James, take your brother and sister outside. Wait there for me."

"Mum, I-"

"Now, James!"

"But-" Albus started.

"DON'T ARGUE!" She yelled.

There was a beat and James grabbed Albus and Lily by the arms and started backing out.

"D-Daddy!" Lily started crying and trying to fend off her brother. "Dad! Wake up! Please!"

"Lily, stop!" James let go of Albus and grabbed Lily's other hand.

"Dad! Dad! Let me go! DADDY!"

With a heavy heart, Albus grabbed Lily's shoulder and helped usher her outside. She continued to struggle but failed against her brothers' combined strength. When they got her out the front door, she broke down into scared sobs. James knelt down and held her close.

Albus leaned against the wall outside still in shock. That was beyond anything he could imagine happening to his family. He knew his father was an Auror, which are known for taking down dark wizards. He even took down, arguably, the strongest dark wizard of all time. His dad was considered one of the best Auror's in the Ministry. With that in mind, Albus never really considered his father to be in any real danger… until now.

After a few minutes of standing outside, they heard more people inside. They were talking loud and fast. The kids could hear running footsteps. St. Mungo's healers had arrived.

It was all just noise at this point.

James pulled Lily over to the wall next to Albus and sat there, still holding her. Albus didn't even notice how badly he was shaking. He couldn't even tell if it was because of the cold winter air or the haunting scene he had just witnessed. His Dad was preparing everything for Christmas. He was getting ready for everyone to enjoy time together as a family. He was attacked in his own home. What if they had gotten home just a little sooner? Would his mother have helped fight them off, or would she, too, be lying half-dead on the rug.

 _Don't think that!_ Albus told himself. _He's not… he's not gone. He's still here. He'll make it through this… won't he?_

Dark thoughts entered into Albus' mind. What if he didn't make it through? What would become of them? What would they do?

Memories of his last argument with Harry made Albus' breathing hitch. What if the last thing he ever said to his father was wishing he never _was_ his father?

He was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't notice how fast time seemed to have passed. His mother was standing next to them.

"Children," she started. James stood up. Lily looked scared. "Your father has been taken to St. Mungo's. He is still unconscious, but they will do everything they can to help him. We are going there now." The three kids simply nodded. They made to enter the house, but Ginny stopped them.

"I don't want you going back in there," she said firmly. "I will call the Knight Bus again. We won't use the Floo Network."

Without any arguments, she stuck out her wand hand over the street.


	7. Chapter 7

Given that only a couple hours had passed since the Knight Bus had dropped them off, they were more than surprised to be summoned back to the same spot for the same people. When the conductor asked why he wasn't told that he would be needed again, he received no answer. His gaze followed them to their seats, and he continued to stare at their grave expressions. Even as the bus gained mighty speed down the street, the Potters remained silent. He finally asked where they were going this time; he understood why they looked so scared and sad.

"St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries," Ginny replied, her eyes on the floor.

After a moment of thought, the conductor went forward and announced that, due to an emergency situation, they will be stopping next at the magical hospital. One or two people groaned, but most looked alert or curious as to the "emergency".

In no time at all, the Knight Bus screeched to a halt in an alley next to a seemingly closed muggle shop. The Potters got off quickly and muttered a low "thank you" to the conductor. When they reached the street, they heard a BANG and knew the bus had gone.

Ginny grabbed her daughter's hand.

"This way."

James and Albus walked close behind their mother as she came to the window of the shop. The Potter children had never been to St. Mungo's before and were growing apprehensive as well as confused. When they saw their mother step through the glass as though it was nothing, they gaped momentarily. James regained himself first and followed with his younger siblings not far behind.

All three children stood rooted to the spot as they took in their surroundings. The people sitting in the waiting room or waiting in line had many strange conditions that they would normally have found comical. There was a man who had steam spouting out his nostrils every time he exhaled while making the sound of a train engine. A woman was holding a teapot in her hands that was yelling at her. On any other day, the trio of Potters would have fought to keep from laughing at the sight. Now, however, nothing seemed funny or even worth smiling over.

Their mother was at the counter talking to the woman very fast. As the children ran next to her, Ginny was reluctantly giving her the name of the patient in a low voice.

"It's my husband… Harry Potter. He was just brought in moments ago-"

"Harry Potter is in St. Mungo's!" shrieked the teapot in the woman's lap. The words echoed through the room. Many heads whipped around toward the family. Ginny pulled a disgruntled face and tried to continue.

"Please, he was brought through the Floo Network and-"

"Yes, we have a number of healers tending to him now. He's been taken to the fourth floor for spell damage, as I understand. Unfortunately, I do not have any information regarding his condition but I was informed to tell you they will be out to see you as soon as they can. This reception area is rather full, as you can see, so it may be best for you to wait on the Fifth floor in our Tea Room. Healer Martha Jorkinson is in charge of spell damage and will likely be the healer to speak with you when the time comes."

"Thank you," Ginny whispered, nodding. "Come along, children."

The children felt many eyes upon them as they followed their mother to the stairway.

"So, were _those_ Harry Potter's children?" Albus heard as he continued behind his brother. He tried his best to ignore it.

When they reached the fourth floor, Albus paused and looked down the hallway hopefully. James noticed he stopped and saw which floor they were on. He looked on as well.

The halls were empty, but near the end was an open door. The light from inside shone on the floor. They could barely make out the distant voices of many people.

"James. Albus," Ginny called gently. "Come on, now." Reluctantly, they continued to climb.

Though the Tea Room was nicely kept and held beautiful Christmas decorations, the atmosphere was stiff with anxiety. Lily curled up in her seat next to her mother, seeking warmth and comfort. Ginny responded by wrapping a gentle arm around her. James sat staring at the floor in front of him with an almost angry expression. His hands clenched the seat of the chair tightly.

Albus' mind seemed to be broken or just not functioning correctly. He didn't know how to react to this. He understood perfectly why Lily and James were acting the way they were. He could easily see someone scared or angry at the situation. Albus, however, felt numb. Not knowing what to do or what to say, he slowly got up and got himself a hot cup of tea. Still standing by the table, he took a sip and felt the hot liquid warming his chilled insides. He looked up at his family and decided to prepare a few more cups.

He walked over to his mother with a cup of tea and a mug of hot cocoa for Lily. Ginny gave a small smile at his generosity and took the tea. Lily looked hopefully at the cocoa but did not take it.

"There are a few marshmallows in it," Albus offered softly.

Slowly, she reached up and took the mug. She did not drink it at first, but just held the heated drink firmly to keep her hands from shaking.

Albus walked back and grabbed the last cup of tea for his older brother. James didn't seem to register the offer when he walked over. His eyes were distant and glassy. Albus cleared his throat and James' head jerked up. He looked like he was about to yell at him, but when he saw the drink, his anger melted away. The side of his mouth twitched upwards as an attempt to smile and he took the tea. Albus returned to his and sat down.

Hours passed in silence. During that time, they were joined by Ron, Hermione, Molly, Arthur, George, Andromeda and Teddy. Ginny brought them to the side to explain the situation. She was sure the children didn't want to hear it again. Afterwards, Teddy walked over and sat next to the three of them, his eyes filled with concern.

"So…" he started, his voice shaking slightly, "… you… you saw it?" The boys nodded, Lily remained motionless in her seat.

Albus looked up at Teddy. He looked as if he wanted to ask more, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Teddy was practically an adopted brother to them. Harry was his Godfather after all. Teddy was nearly as distraught as they were. His usual wild, turquois hair lay flat and sandy colored. Andromeda walked over to her grandson, rubbing his back in comfort.

Lily seemed to have regained control of herself for she placed her empty mug back on the table and walked out towards the Gift Shop without saying anything.

 _Gift Shop_ … thought Albus.

He patted his left coat pocket and felt the gift he had bought from the Antique Shop with his mother. That was only hours ago. During this same day, they had walked carelessly through Diagon Alley, played around in the joke shop and come home to a horrendous sight. It seemed like days since that happened. One moment had stretched time extensively, or so it seemed to him. It even felt like he had been home from Hogwarts for weeks. Everything at school seemed a distant thought, now.

This… he had bought this for his father. He had hoped it would be a peace offering between father and son. He planned to give it to the man who now lay helpless with a swarm of healers just a floor below.

He saw something move out of the corner of his right eye and he looked up.

James, it appeared, was furiously wiping away a few lingering, unshed tears from his eyes.

Albus acted as if he hadn't seen. It had been years since he last saw his brother cry, but they were so young then that it hardly mattered. Both his brother and sister had been brought to tears because of what their father had gone through… was _still_ going through. Yet Albus' mind still felt frozen.

It was very late. Each minute felt like an eternity. Lily returned holding a fleece blanket with a moving picture of a dragon on it. When Hermione asked about it, Lily answered in a low voice.

"I thought Dad might like it. It's been really cold this winter and… I thought he'd like to keep warm."

It was this that made Albus feel something. A great pang of guilt filled his heart as he remembered the blanket his father had offered him. The same blanket that warmed him when he was brought to live with his Aunt Petunia, and the same blanket that he tossed aside like a piece of garbage. He had called it "Moldy". Albus gripped his hair in frustration of his own actions.

The door to the Tea Room clicked open. All eyes turned to the woman entering. Her lime green uniform robes instantly told that she was a healer.

"Mrs. Potter?" she asked while looking around the room.

Everyone stood up, but Ginny and her children stepped forward.

"Healer Jorkinson?" Ginny asked, clarifying.

"Yes, I've been in charge of Harry's well-being since he's been brought in." She paused for a moment and then, with a small smile continued. "He gave us one hell of a scare, but, thankfully, you called us just in time. He should make a full recovery."

A collective sigh of relief was shared throughout the room. James rushed over and hugged Teddy, who welcomed his embrace. Ginny bent down and squeezed her daughter happily. Albus still stood frozen. A glimmer of joy was slowly growing in his heart, but there was still concern… and he couldn't explain why.

"I'm aware that you are all considered family, but it would be unwise to have such a large number in his room right now. He still hasn't woken up yet. I think it best if just his wife and kids see him now," Hr. Jorkinson added apologetically.

Molly wiped away a few tears and agreed. She offered for them all to join her and Arthur at The Burrow until later tomorrow. They all agreed and followed her towards the exit.

"If you will follow me, Mrs. Potter," Hr. Jorkinson offered.

Ginny nodded and they walked down to the Fourth Floor.


	8. Chapter 8

The five of them walked down the hall of the Fourth Floor and stopped before a door. James and Albus recognized it as the same door that was open hours ago when they first arrived. Healer Jorkinson looked at them and spoke quietly.

"Now, we'll have to be quiet. Until he fully recovers, he's going to need a lot of rest. He may be a bit confused and disoriented when he wakes up, so you'll have to be patient with him. He'll also be quite sore for the next few days."

When they all nodded, she slowly opened the door. A number of rooms in St. Mungo's were built for multiple patients, but this one, at least, had only one bed with only one occupant.

Harry was lying motionless under the covers on the hospital bed. His face was quite pale with a few remaining scratches on his cheek and neck. Albus thought it was strange that he felt so much relief in just seeing his father's chest rise and fall with each deep breath he took. His glasses were set on the table next to the bed. If anything, it looked as though he was simply sleeping.

The kids quietly rushed passed their mother and the healer to their father's bedside. Lily took his hand in hers, the blanket still under her arm. James pulled one of the chairs in the room closer to the bed and sat down in it. Albus stood at the foot of the bed and slowly lowered himself onto the mattress.

Ginny turned to Martha.

"The men who attacked him were the escaped werewolves. Was there any… contamination?"

Albus' head whipped around, but Martha shook her head.

"We found no trace of werewolf saliva in any of his wounds. They didn't bite him, but it seems like they tried. The major problem was the dark magic that caused the deep split in his side. Wounds inflicted by dark magic hinder some of our best spells and potions. It prevented us in stemming the flow of blood and closing the cut for a while."

"Yes, Hermione and I wondered if that was the case, because it hardly responded to our spells either," Ginny commented.

"It was likely due to blood loss that he lost consciousness." Martha amended.

"What about his other injuries?" Ginny persisted.

"Well, he did have some broken bones here and there, but they were inflicted manually, as I understand it. We fixed those as soon as the wound on his side was attended to. The other healers told me the room he was found in was practically destroyed, is that right?"

"Yes."

"I see. The only other thing of note was a mild concussion, which we were able to attend to quickly enough. Though it isn't a problem anymore, it will likely be the cause of his possible confusion when he wakes up."

"Thank you. How long until his side is fully healed?"

"To be safe, I'd say about a week. He'll need to take regular doses of a Blood Replenishing Potion for the next two days and we'll need to check his bandages later today. After his final dose of the potion, he should be fine to return home. Speaking of which, have the Aurors taken them into custody?"

"Yes, Ron called the Auror office after you lot and they came just before the kids and I left. Hopefully they can get some of that cleaned up as well." Her face fell as she remembered the scene. It was clear that she didn't want to see it again.

"I'm sure they will," Martha added with an encouraging smile. "Is there anything else I can do? Can I get you anything? You must be tired."

Ginny shook her head. Martha nodded, patted Ginny on the arm and left.

Ginny closed the door behind her. She made her way to the chair opposite James. She looked at his glasses on the table beside her. They were cracked with a small speck of blood on them. She picked them up, tapped them with her wand, and they were good as new.

James looked up at his mother, opened his mouth to speak, paused and closed it again.

The family sank into a comfortable silence as Harry rested. After about an hour, Ginny noticed that it was already 2 am. James leaned his head on his hands, fighting heavy eyelids. Albus had sank to the floor next to the bed leaning against the bedframe, his eyes unfocused. Lily was already dozing off against the mattress, still holding Harry's hand.

"Children," Ginny whispered. The boys looked up at her, but Lily just gave a sleepy moan. "What if I were to ask Healer Jorkinson if you could use the Floo Network here to get to the Burrow? You're all clearly tired and we can bring you back in the morning af-"

"Mum," James interrupted as quietly and politely as he could, "I'm not going anywhere."

Ginny looked over at Albus, who shook his head. Lily merely tightened her grip on her father's hand. Ginny nodded, defeated.

It wasn't long after that that all three children fell asleep. Ginny smiled. She waved her wand and another chair appeared beside her. She focused as much as her tired mind would let her and transfigured it into a squashy love-seat. Then, she gently picked up her youngest child and laid her down on its cushions. After slipping the blanket away from her loose grip, she draped the blanket over her.

Their mother then walked around the bed and found Albus still sitting up against the bed. There was a pause as she looked at him. Albus' face was twitching slightly, though he was clearly still asleep. He moaned slightly but did not wake. Her heart sank as she came to the conclusion that yesterday's events might still be haunting him.

She bent down and touched his shoulder and was shocked when he thrashed away from her, his eyes wide open and a small gasp escaping his lips.

"Albus!" she whispered urgently still reaching towards him.

Comprehension slowly grew in his young tired eyes and he relaxed.

"Come on."

She carefully ushered him to his feet and summoned another chair for him. She was about to transfigure it when he slumped down onto it. He grabbed his coat, which was still on the floor and threw it over himself like a blanket.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," he answered stiffly. Only after he said it did he realize how rude it must have come across.

Ginny lightly stroked his hair for a minute and kissed his forehead.

"Everything's going to be alright, I promise."

He simply nodded.

She then moved to her eldest son. His head lolled onto his shoulder as he snoozed. She grabbed his coat and draped it over him as well.

When she took her place back in her seat, she saw Albus was still awake. This concerned her. He was clearly exhausted. Perhaps the dream he had disturbed him more than she originally thought. Her gaze then shifted to her husband, resting peacefully. Her own exhaustion seemed to have caught up with her, for not long after that, she too fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

"OW!"

A yelp of pain awoke the slumbering family.

Harry was half sitting up in his bed, his glasses still on the table. His face was contorted in pain as he gripped his side. Ginny jumped up.

"Harry, lie back down, you're not fully healed yet," she ordered while lightly pushing him back into the pillows.

He looked up at her. Though his vision was blurry from the absence of his glasses, he recognized her immediately.

"Gin?" His words slurred slightly.

She smile and kissed his forehead.

"I'm here, Harry."

"Where are…?" His voice trailed off as his eyes scanned the room and he noticed three more people around him. Ginny grabbed his glasses and handed them to him.

"Thanks."

"Dad!" Lily cheered. Harry turned toward her with a small smile.

"Hey, Lil," he greeted.

"How are you feeling, Dad?" James asked.

Harry paused. His eyes scanned the rest of the room now that he could see properly. His mind was jumbled.

"What happened?"

Ginny sat down on his mattress looking at him seriously.

"Harry, dear, what's the last thing you remember?"

Harry thought for a minute, and he wished he didn't have to. His brain seemed to be working slower than usual. Then his memories slowly came to him. His face fell.

"Greyback," he growled.

"Yes… we found you in the sitting room when we got back," Ginny added, sadly.

Harry looked nervous.

"Wait… so, did _all_ of you-?"

"We saw, Dad," James answered in a low voice. Harry looked over at his son, his heart breaking.

"I'm sorry. I never wanted you guys to see something like that."

James hitched up a smile, though.

"Hey, as long as you're okay, so am I."

Harry smiled back.

"How long have I been out?" he asked, turning back to his wife.

She looked at the clock before answering.

"About a day, I'd say. It's almost 11 am."

Harry grunted and tried to sit up, again.

"Harry, you need to lie down," Ginny repeated firmly.

"I'd like to look at my children properly, if that's alright with you," he said smirking.

Lily took this opportunity and ran the few feet to the bed.

"Here, Daddy! I got you this! I thought it might make you feel better." She held up the blanket. Harry beamed at his daughter.

"Awe. Thank you, Lily." He spread it out over his lap to look at the dragon soaring around the boarder of the picture.

"I love it," he chuckled. With one arm, he reached out, pulled his daughter to his side in a one armed hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Are you hungry, Dad?" James offered. "You haven't eaten in a while. I can grab you something, if you'd like."

"Actually, I _am_ rather hungry. I'll take whatever you get."

With a proud smile, James swept out of the room.

Harry's eyes momentarily rested on Albus who was still in his seat and appeared to be avoiding his gaze. He noted that he had dark circles around rather bloodshot eyes.

 _Has he slept at all?_ Harry wondered.

He was about to speak when Ginny broke his train of thought by explaining the extent of Harry's injuries. Harry only half listened. He remembered well how badly he was hurt and was glad that his family was safe.

He knew he would tell Ginny later, but he didn't want anyone else to know the Greyback's original intention when arriving at the house.

As he suspected, the group of werewolves have been unhappy and restless since Voldemort fell. They had free reign with him in charge. Since Harry defeated him, they have been hunted and imprisoned. When they had finally escaped, he figured he would go into a frenzy of attacking innocent people, but he didn't. He remained silent, patient, waiting for the perfect moment. He had always assumed that he would try and seek vengeance by attacking him… but it wasn't him they were after.

Harry remembered in detail of what Greyback said after he had finally taken down his companions. Greyback didn't want Harry… he wanted his children. Even if it was just one of them, Greyback wanted his favorite kind of victim. "Young flesh." Harry's heart pounded with rage at the thought of his children in danger. Though his speed had dropped due to his broken ribs and ankle, he retaliated with the rage of protective father. He fought harder and harder trying to block out the images of his kids suffering, but it became an unfortunate distraction as well.

Harry didn't notice the spell cast at the tree, which exploded, knocking him back where he hit his head on the coffee table, leaving his side open. Then it hit him like a blazing dagger. Greyback never thought much of a "clean kill". He always preferred a lingering fight, a lasting struggle for his victims. As his own blood gushed out from between his fingers and his head throbbed horribly, he slashed his wand forcing thick ropes around Greyback. He fought hard, but the long thick rope practically clung to him, like a fly caught in a spider-web. Harry was already losing strength at this point. He had to stop Greyback somehow. Barely aware of what he was doing, his vision blurring, his wand shook upwards around Greyback's throat. If he could just hold him off for a few more seconds, he could run to the fireplace for help. His strength was failing him. He couldn't even see Greyback had turned rather blue and fell to his knees. Harry couldn't think straight. When Greyback fell back on the floor, he tried to turn to the fireplace, but everything became hazy. He had no energy to cast a Patronus to warn Ginny. The last thing he remembered was hearing a familiar BANG outside the house followed by the screeching of tires on the road.

"Harry?"

He snapped his head up, breaking out of his thoughts.

"Sorry."

"Do you have a headache, Dad?" Lily asked innocently. "There's a bottle of headache medicine here."

Harry smiled and took the bottle.

James came back with Healer Jorkinson and a lot of food. To keep the mood cheerful, Harry asked them to tell him about how their term at Hogwarts was while they ate. He continually looked at Albus, hoping he would say something, but not a word was uttered.


	10. Chapter 10

Harry was sitting at the dining room table with the latest edition of the _Daily Prophet_ in front of him. It was Christmas Eve, the second day out of the hospital and everyone was already in bed for the night. Some of his coworkers at the Auror's office were kind enough to clean up the house before his family returned from their first visit. A couple of them left some "Get Well Soon" cards and a box of Fudge Flies as well.

He sighed as he stared at a photo of his own face on the front cover. The headline of the _Prohpet_ was printed in great bold print: _Greyback Attacks Potter!_ The Subheading read: _Harry Potter hospitalized after wanted werewolves breaks into his home!_ He shook his head. He knew this wouldn't be kept quiet. When he first walked out of his hospital room with his family, he was instantly bombarded by journalists and photographers. He refused to comment on anything. Though his life has been posted in the _Prophet_ numerous times, it still didn't please him to see his face posted everywhere again.

Thankfully, when he returned home, everything seemed cheerful again. His whole family surprised him when he opened the front door. His mother-in-law came to their house with a large spread of food she prepared herself and they all enjoyed an early Christmas together. He and Ginny, though, insisted that their kids wait to open their presents until Christmas morning, keeping with tradition.

The only thing that dimmed the bright light of joy in the house was Albus. He didn't stop anyone from having a good time, but Harry noticed he barely talked at all. He was growing more concerned about his son as the bags under his eyes grew slightly more prominent and he seemed to lack focus on almost anything. He stayed with the family while they were here, but he still avoided looking at Harry. All he wanted to do was to reach out to his son, but he didn't think doing it in present company would be very wise. Not to mention the fact that he wanted to avoid engaging in another argument like the last one.

Harry, therefore, opted to give his son time. He wasn't going to force anything from anyone. He would be ready when his son is ready.

And it seemed like he was ready now.

"D-Dad?"

Harry looked up from the paper to see his son standing by the door to the dining room. He was finally looking straight at Harry. There was fear in his tired eyes.

"Albus? You should be in bed. It's late."

Albus didn't speak. He continued staring at his father. His hand was on the doorframe. It was shaking.

"Albus?" Harry turned more, putting the paper down on the table. "Are you alright?" His concern was growing.

He slowly stood up. Albus' whole body began trembling. His face held two distinct expressions: terror and sadness.

"Albus, what's wrong?" Harry asked, lowering his voice and stepping forward.

Finally, Albus cracked.

" _Dad!_ " he let out a muffled cry as he bolted to his father, wrapping his arms tight around him.

Harry was momentarily dazed and confused. He tried to regain his footing for he almost lost balance.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Harry stammered. "Easy, son. What-?"

Harry stopped mid-sentence as he felt his son shaking horribly. He slowly felt a slight dampness seeping through the front of his shirt.

Albus was crying.

Taken aback, Harry wrapped one arm around his son and ran his other hand through his hair in comfort.

"Albus," he whispered in a low, soothing voice. "Albus, calm down. It's okay."

"No!" Albus replied, slightly muffled from his face buried in his father's shirt. "It's not okay. You- you could have died! You almost died!"

Harry blinked and sighed.

"I'm alright. I promise, I'm okay."

"I yelled at you." Albus was rambling, seemingly unaware of what his dad said. "I told you I wish you weren't my dad! That was the last thing I would have said to you if- if you'd… And- and the blanket! It was a gift and I treated it like it was nothing! If you had… if you had died… that's all I'd have left of you! I wish I had never said those things. I wish I never acted that way! I don't care if I'm not as good as you were at school! I should be proud of having a dad like you! I don't deserve to be your son! I was horrible to you! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Dad!"

Harry lowered himself and his son to the floor, never relinquishing his grip.

"Albus," Harry started patiently, "please, calm down. It's alright."

Albus hiccupped a couple times, but continued.

"I- I've… I've seen you dead…"

"What? I don'-"

"Every night! Every time I close my eyes! I see you lying on the floor like that! I see you covered in blood! Your face was white. Mom would be crying over you. Lily kept crying for you. I'd- I'd see your funeral. Everyone was crying. Then- then they all glared at me! They- they kept saying 'How could you treat your father like that?'" He sobbed.

"Shh… shhh, calm down."

"That-that's why I- I couldn't look at you." He sniffed. "I- I kept seeing you dead. I kept thinking about what I said. I couldn't stop thinking about what I did."

"Shh… Albus, please. Just take a deep breath, okay?"

Between sobs, Albus attempted to breathe deeply. It shook, but it was a start.

"That's it, just calm down."

"You- you c-can call me Al, again. If-if you want. I-I don't mind anymore."

Harry smiled to himself.

"If that will help you feel better."

The two simply sat there for a while. Albus' sobs began to subside and he wasn't shaking as bad anymore. Harry was content with just holding his son, again, rubbing his back and stroking his hair.

"You know," Harry whispered, a small smile forming again, "your mother told me how you helped while waiting at the hospital."

Albus paused for a moment, confused. He didn't remember doing anything. He just remembered feeling numb and guilty.

"H-how?"

Harry squeezed him a little before continuing.

"She told me that you noticed everyone being so quiet. According to her, you made tea for her and James and a mug of hot chocolate for Lily."

"But… I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I just… I had some and… it felt nice…"

"And you wanted to help them feel better, too?"

Albus nodded into his father's shoulder. Harry chuckled.

"Well, it worked, didn't it? You got your mother to smile even though she must have been worried sick. She said James was close to snapping at anyone until he saw you offering him a drink. Sometimes the simplest act can have the biggest affect. One small glass of tea can be a big condolence."

"… and… and a small blanket… can be a great source of comfort."

"Ha, something like that."

There was a moment of silence before Albus spoke again.

"I'm sorry I didn't write back all term."

"It's alright, son. It's alright."

Harry sat there with his son for a while longer. The warm weight against his chest was more than welcome. He wanted to wait until Albus broke the hug to make sure he was alright. No matter how long it took.

After several long minutes, Harry registered that his son was no longer shaking. He was calm and relaxed.

"Do you feel better, now?" Harry whispered, but there was no response.

Slightly suspicious, Harry shifted slightly to get a better look at his son's face.

Albus, exhausted both mentally and physically, had cried himself to sleep in his father's arms.


	11. Chapter 11

"Albus! Albus! Come on, wake up!"

Someone was shaking him vigorously.

"Huh?" He mumbled, groggily.

Opening his eyes, he saw his sister Lily with a gleam of excitement in her eyes.

"Come on! It's Christmas! Presents!" and, just like that, she bolted out of the room toward the stairs.

Albus slowly sat up. Looking around, he saw he was in his bedroom. This confused him. He didn't remember falling asleep… at least not for long.

Racking his brain, he recalled trying to get some sleep after his mother sent the three of them to bed. However, he was haunted again by horrible visions of his father's death. He had woken practically hysterical in the middle of the night. It was all he could do not to yell out in fear. He decided to go to the kitchen for some tea. It worked at the hospital, maybe it would work again.

It was then that he encountered his father.

Albus sat there thinking for a moment. He began wondering if the interaction was a dream or not. At the time, he certainly believed it was real and was grateful for his father's comfort. After that, though, he didn't remember anything. He didn't remember coming back up to his room or grabbing the tea he intended to get. He didn't even remember letting his father go during that lasting hug.

"Albus!" called James from downstairs. "Come on! Lily's already started!"

As he made to remove the covers, he noticed something soft tucked under his arm.

It was his father's blanket.

Comprehension dawned on his face. He _did_ talk to his father last night. He must have fallen asleep while still hugging him. The more he thought about it, it made sense. He had been exhausted and was almost avoiding sleep due to those nightmares.

Did that mean his father brought him to bed? He must have tucked the blanket in with him under the covers. Albus smiled. He certainly felt better, and, now that he thought about it, he felt more awake than he had in a while. He must have slept well.

He was about out the door when he realized he had forgotten something. He ran over to his coat and fished out the gift he had bought in Diagon Alley. Trying not to take too long, he snuck into his parent's room and found the box he was looking for and finished preparing his gift. Unfortunately, there was no wrapping paper in the room. He held it close to himself, trying to hide it, and made his way to the sitting room.

He had been avoiding looking at the room since they had first gotten back from the hospital. All he could think of was how broken it was and the pool of blood his father had previously been lying in.

Thankfully, the room had been transformed. Not only was everything repaired and cleaned up, but it had been rearranged as well. Even the paint on the wall was shimmering bright red and gold unlike the dull burgundy before. The tree was decorated again and sitting in the center of the room, presents spilled out beneath it. A warm fire was glowing in the fireplace behind it.

Lily had torn into presents as fast as she could. She had already unwrapped the sweater their grandma knits them every year and was pulling it over her pajamas. James was gawking over a broom care service kit. His mother was sitting on the couch with her legs stretched out across the cushions. There were a few gifts in front of her as well, but she was focused more on watching her children's reactions.

Harry was sitting in his squashy armchair next to his wife. He watched with a great smile as his daughter returned to tearing open her gifts and his eldest son struggle to say "thank you". He looked up as Albus entered. His smile grew.

"Hey, Al," he greeted cheerfully.

There was something in Harry's eyes that told Albus that his siblings didn't know about last night's events. He was grateful for this because he knew his brother would tease him if he was caught sobbing like that.

Albus smiled in return.

Ginny looked up.

"Go on, Albus. The others have started already," she encouraged eagerly.

Rather than walking up to the tree, Albus went right up to his father. Ginny watched curiously, but Harry's smile stayed strong.

"Yes?"

Albus paused for a moment.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't have time to wrap it," he said slowly revealing the gift to his father, "It's not much, but I hope you like it."

Harry reached forward slowly. There in his hands was an old picture from the photo album in his closet. The picture showed Harry at least a decade younger surrounded by three overexcited children. In his arms, a squirmy little girl, no older than one, was kicking and giggling wildly. Next to him was a five to six year old James making deliberately funny faces toward the camera. Around his neck were tiny arms of a three year old. Albus was peering over his father's shoulder, a large grin on his face as he tried to climb higher. The picture version of Harry laughed and tried to bring an arm around his back for his son to step on and get higher.

The photo was encased in an antique picture frame. The boarders of the frame were made up of four silver quills. As Harry brought it closer, the quill on the top of the frame stood up on its tip and scooted to the top of the picture. The young family in the photo all looked up towards it as it wrote above them in shining silver ink. "My Family". The quill returned to its place on the frame and the words slowly faded.

Harry brought a hand to his mouth which was curved in a smile. He laughed a bit as the little kids in the photo continued to play. Looking up, he saw Albus watching him anxiously.

"Thank you. This is great."

Albus smiled. Harry stood and hugged his son again.

"Merry Christmas, Dad!"

"Merry Christmas, Al."

THE END

NOTE: I hate to bring this story to an end, but everything must at some point.

I do hope you enjoyed it. I don't usually write about the "Next Generation" and I hope I did it justice.

I'm sorry if it seemed too mushy at the end and if the beginning seems too short. My mind was far more focused on the bigger scenes later on.

This story was in response to the Cursed Child. It was a little much for me to take and I saw this idea as a closer representation of the feeling of the story and world (granted, there wasn't much "magic" in it).

If you enjoy the book more, great! If you enjoy this story more, great!


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